European Parliament member and European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to the Philippines chief observer Marta Temido led the EU EOM official launch on April 25 at a press conference in Manila, concluding a five-day first visit to the country. The deployment of the EU EOM to observe the mid-term elections on May 12, 2025, follows an invitation from the government of the Republic of the Philippines.

“This will be the first deployment of an EU Election observation mission in the country, marking an important step toward stronger EU-Philippines relations. Our presence aims to contribute to an inclusive, transparent, and credible election process without interfering or validating its results,” said Temido. "During my visit, I received a warm welcome from the Filipino people, as did the core team based in Manila and our 72 long-term observers who have been deployed all over the country," Temido added.

Temido met with several stakeholders, including the COMELEC Chairman and commissioners, government officials, political parties and candidates, as well as representatives of civil society and the media. “I had several meetings in Manila and Cebu to learn about election preparations. Our 72 long-term observers have already met dozens of interlocutors across the country and are preparing comprehensive, evidence-based reports from their areas of observation,” said Temido.

The election observation missions are a fundamental component of European Union activities to promote democracy, human rights, and civil society participation worldwide. "Our core principles are independence, neutrality, impartiality, non-interference, cooperation, and partnership with the host country and its citizens. These principles guide us throughout the mission,” Temido remarked.

The EU EOM started its activity on March 28 with the arrival of a core team of 12 analysts in Manila, followed by the arrival and deployment of 72 long-term observers. Shortly before election day, they will be joined by more than 100 short-term observers. On election day, the EU EOM will have more than 200 observers on the ground, one of the EU’s largest deployments in 30 years of election observation. This includes a delegation from the European Parliament and around 20 diplomats accredited in the Philippines from EU member states, as well as from Canada, Norway, and Switzerland.

The mission's mandate is to assess the extent to which the elections comply with the Philippine laws, as well as the Philippines’ international commitments related to democratic elections, and international good practice. “The mission observes and analyses the entire electoral process, including the legal framework, electoral administration, automated election technology, the campaign environment — including media and social media — voting, and tallying of results, as well as complaints and appeals,” said Temido.

The EU EOM is committed to remaining neutral and abiding by the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers. The mission will issue its initial findings in a preliminary statement, which will be presented at a press conference on May 14. A final report with recommendations for future electoral processes will be presented to the national stakeholders and published at a later stage. The EU EOM is financed exclusively by the European Union budget.